Faced with the urgency of climate change, a feeling of anguish or discouragement can overwhelm us: this is known as “eco-anxiety”. Although uncomfortable, this feeling can help raise awareness and enable us to measure our environmental footprint.

The environmental footprint or carbon footprint represents the number of CO2e that an individual or company emits each year through its activities. It can be calculated using tools such as carbon footprint calculator for individuals, or by means of customized carbon footprints for companies.

Once you’re aware of your footprint, it’s important to take action to reduce it. On an individual level, there are many actions that can be taken, such as buying locally, avoiding disposable products, reducing travel, consuming better, using soft mobility, etc.

Companies can implement decarbonization plans to reduce their carbon footprint. It is also possible to adopt a sustainable development approach by following the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. These are 17 objectives that encourage companies and public authorities to act in favor of the environment, an economy based on solidarity and a fairer society.

Whoever we are, by taking action we can become a positive agent of change.

The carbon contribution, a tool in the fight against climate change

Once you’ve calculated your emissions and reduced them, you can set about offsetting or making a carbon contribution for all the emissions you can’t reduce, known as residual emissions. The aim is to make a financial contribution to climate projects around the world, and to support projects to sequester or reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. By supporting projects outside their own perimeter, contributors enable projects that would otherwise not have seen the light of day to come into being.

What exactly are these projects?

There are two types of project: reduction projects and carbon sequestration projects.

Reduction projects are any projects that use new technologies to avoid CO2e emissions. These may include projects that support renewable energies, energy efficiency (building insulation, energy-efficient heating and cooking systems), or the replacement of less carbon-intensive products.

Sequestration projects are all those that enable the capture and storage of greenhouse gases. They include both industrial processes and natural processes such as carbon sinks.

What is a carbon sink? Carbon sinks are natural areas such as wetlands, oceans and forests on earth which, through a natural process, absorb some of the CO2 present in the atmosphere. For this type of project, the aim is to preserve existing zones, but also to restore damaged areas (e.g. reforestation of a forest, restoration of a meadow, etc.).

We often hear about carbon contributions and carbon offsetting: what’s the difference?

Carbon offsetting assumes that a tonne of CO2e emitted in one place can be neutralized by the sequestration or reduction of another tonne elsewhere. With the idea of contribution, we retain the idea that the contributor participates in a global objective of carbon neutrality by supporting projects in favor of the climate. By making a financial contribution commensurate with their emissions, each contributor acts on their own scale to improve their carbon footprint and help reduce GHG emissions on a global scale.

How can I offset my travel footprint with Village Monde?

When we travel, a large proportion of our emissions are caused by our travel and accommodation. That’s why Village Monde, in partnership with Greentripper, has set up a carbon calculator on its website, enabling travelers to calculate their travel footprint and offset it through projects that benefit the climate and local communities.

For travelers wishing to offset their footprint, two projects are available allowing you contribute to the impact of its trip. 

Mangroves Economy carbon contribution project

The “Mangroves Economie” carbon contribution project is run by our partners Eco-Bénin and Village Monde.

The aim of this project is to help restore the mangroves in southern Benin. The mangrove is a fragile ecosystem that not only helps to consolidate the soil, but also plays a major role in capturing greenhouse gases. It is therefore a vital carbon sink that must be preserved. To find out more, read our article on mangroves here. The project also has positive spin-offs for local communities (training for women and young people) and the development of a solidarity-based economy.

The Mangroves Economy project is therefore a carbon sequestration project that helps capture CO2e emissions worldwide. For more information, please consult the full project sheet here.